Uttarakhand: High Court became strict on Nainital District Panchayat President election, raised questions on the intentions of the officials
The High Court has taken cognizance of the petition of Congress which reached the High Court after 5 members were kidnapped in the election of the President and Vice President of the District Panchayat Nainital. After these members are found, voting will now be held on a new date for the post of Nainital District Panchayat President and Vice President.
The 5 missing members of Nainital district have not been found till evening. On which District Magistrate Vandana suggested before the court to send a recommendation to the Election Commission for re-election of the Nainital District Panchayat President and Vice President. Which has been accepted by the court. The High Court has taken a serious stand on the complaint of kidnapping of District Panchayat members from near the polling place not being registered in Tallital police station and has indicated action against the police station in-charge.
The case was heard in the division bench of Chief Justice G Narendra and Justice Alok Mehra. Ten District Panchayat members, Leader of Opposition Yashpal Arya, MLA Sumit Hridayesh, former MLA Sanjeev Arya were also present in the court in the hearing held in the afternoon. The ten members present in the court were taken to the polling booth under the supervision of the security officer appointed by the High Court and were made to vote.
During the hearing, the court was told that the missing members have given affidavits that they have nothing to do with the election of the District Panchayat President. While Pushpa Negi’s senior advocate Avtar Singh Rawat told the court that the stamps of the affidavits which are being talked about being given earlier were purchased on 14 August at 2.30 pm. The court has taken cognizance of this. During the hearing held in the court in the evening, the family members of the District Panchayat members who were forcibly picked up were also present. Their statements have also been recorded in the High Court. They have appealed to trace their family members. The family of a member also told the court the names of those people who forcibly picked up 5 members. Which mainly includes the names of BJP District President Pratap Bisht, Anand Singh Darmwal, Chatur Bora, Shankar Singh Koranga.
In the afternoon, senior advocate Avtar Singh Rawat, Dr. Mahendra Pal, Bar Association President Durga Singh Rawat, DK Joshi etc., on behalf of Congress candidate Pushpa Negi, informed about the forceful abduction of 5 Zila Panchayat members in the court of the Chief Justice. On which the division bench summoned the District Magistrate and SSP to the court through video conferencing. They were instructed to find and bring the kidnapped members. The case came up for hearing again at 4:30 in the evening. Then the District Magistrate and SSP, who appeared in the court through VC, told that the said 5 members have not been found. On which the court raised serious questions on the intentions of both the officers.
During this time, the District Magistrate suggested to the court that in case the said members are not found, fresh voting will be done on a new date. In this regard, she will send a report to the Election Commission. Which has been approved by the High Court. The next hearing of this case will now be on August 18.
